Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A steep bowl-shaped hollow occurring at the upper end of a mountain valley, especially one forming the head of a glacier or stream. Also called cwm.
- n. A ring; a circle.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A circus.
- n. A circle; specifically, a circle regarded as inclosing any space or surrounding any object or group of objects.
- n. Same as comb.
Wiktionary
- n. A curved depression in a mountainside with steep walls, forming the end of a valley; cwm
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. A circle; a circus; a circular erection or arrangement of objects.
- n. A kind of circular valley in the side of a mountain, walled around by precipices of great height.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a steep-walled semicircular basin in a mountain; may contain a lake
Etymologies
- French, from Latin circus, circle; see circle.
Examples
“The show is distinctive from other "cirque" - style entertainment in that the dancers, jugglers, acrobats and contortionists, share the stage with a live orchestra.”
“Paramount in Garuda's approach to "the cirque" is the use of technology.”
“In the visually creative "cirque" style, but with more of a Broadway feel.”
“There is "cirque" beyond Cirque du Soleil, however.”
“But above all else, it is the view to the Westward that we have come here to see – the famous "cirque" of the Croda Malcora.”
“Although "cirque" is literally translated from the French as "circus," Streltsov makes a distinction.”
“cirque" et de "grand-guignol" à propos du "grand emprunt" annoncé par Nicolas Sarkozy lors du Congrès de Versailles en juin dernier.”
“The cirque of hills overlooking the hamlet of Hartsop is seen to best advantage when approaching Kirkstone Pass up Patterdale.”
“Michaël chien de cirque (Michael Brother of Jerry) by Jack London.”
“There is less clowns in the 'cirque du soleil' than the gops doight”
treeseed A cirque is an amphitheatre-like valley, or valley head, formed at the head of a glacier by erosion. A cirque is also known as a cwm in Wales, a coomb or coombe in England, and a corrie in Scotland and Ireland, although these terms apply to a specific feature of which several may be found in a cirque.
_Wikipedia Jan 25, 2008